Lock for motor vehicle opening comprising means for inside and outside locking

ABSTRACT

A lock ( 10 ) for a motor vehicle opening including an external and internal control mechanism which can be inhibited by respectively locking an input lever and an output lever. A linking mechanism is arranged between the input lever and the output lever to link the two levers in angular displacement.

The invention relates to a lock for an opening leaf of a motor vehicle.

The invention relates more specifically to a lock for an opening leaf ofa motor vehicle, of the type comprising:

-   -   operating means for opening from the outside and operating means        for opening from the inside,    -   a primary lever which is mounted so that it can pivot about a        fixed primary pin, between an angular unlocking position and an        angular locking position, in order to inhibit the means for        operating from the outside,    -   a secondary lever which is mounted so that it can pivot about a        fixed secondary pin, substantially parallel to the primary pin,        between an angular unlocking position and an angular locking        position, in order to inhibit the means for operating from the        inside,    -   a driving member which is connected to the primary lever in        order to directly pivot the primary lever, from its locking        position toward its unlocking position, during an operating        phase referred to as outside unlocking phase.

The invention relates more specifically to a lock for a side door of amotor vehicle.

Such a lock comprises, apart from a neutral unlocking function, a numberof locking functions, namely outside locking which makes it possible toprevent opening of the lock solely from the outside of the vehicle,inside locking, or “child lock” function, which makes it possible toprevent opening of the lock solely from the inside of the vehicle, andthe “superlocking” function which makes it possible to prevent openingof the lock both from the inside and from the outside.

The superlocking function makes it possible to prevent a thief fromopening the lock, even when the window of the door has been broken.

It is known practice to use a lock comprising these various functions.These functions are generally implemented by means of electric actuatorswhich drive the primary lever associated with the “locking” function andthe secondary lever associated with the “superlocking” function, theseactuators being operated by means of a remote control.

When the means for operating the lock are inhibited from the inside andfrom the outside, that is to say when the lock is “superlocked”, anelectrical fault makes it impossible to open the lock.

The fact that the lock is prevented from being opened from the outsidecauses an inconvenience for the user but does not present any danger forhim.

By contrast, the fact that the lock is prevented from being opened fromthe inside presents a considerable risk for the safety of the user,since the user must always be able to exit his vehicle, particularly inthe event of an accident.

When the locking and unlocking linkages are independent, for example inthe case of a lock without an actuating member such as a “lock stalk”,the lock is opened by means of a key which interacts with a cylindermechanically operating a lever driving the primary lever in thedirection of its unlocking. However, the kinematic linkage of thesecondary lever remains in a locked state.

In this situation, the user can gain entry to the inside of the vehicle,since the operating means for opening from the outside are released, buthe cannot exit the vehicle since the operating means for opening fromthe inside are still inhibited.

The same situation arises when only the electric actuator of thesecondary lever is defective, for example as a result of the supply wirehaving broken or because of a fault with the electronic unit, and whenthe electric actuator of the primary lever is operational.

For this reason it is necessary to provide safety control means whichmake it possible for unlocking of the secondary lever to be effected oneach occasion that the primary lever is unlocked. These safety meansmust be used, on the one hand, when the primary lever is unlockedmechanically, in particular by means of the cylinder, and, on the otherhand, when the primary lever is unlocked electrically by means of itselectric actuator.

The invention aims to provide a simple, effective and economic solutionto solve this problem.

To this end, the invention provides a lock of the type which isdescribed above, characterized in that a connection means is arrangedbetween the primary lever and the secondary lever so as to link theangular displacement of the two levers during an outside unlockingphase, with the aim of bringing about global unlocking of the lockconsisting in pivoting the two levers from their respective lockingpositions toward their respective unlocking positions.

Thus, when only the electric actuator of the secondary lever isdefective, or in the case of mechanical opening via the cylinder, theprimary lever compensates for this fault by driving the secondary lever.

Advantageously, the connection means is a link rod which comprises apoint of articulation on the primary lever and a point of articulationon the secondary lever.

Another aim of the present invention is to ensure that, in all cases,the user is able to exit his vehicle.

To this end, the present invention proposes selecting the position ofthe articulation points of the link rod so that, during the globalunlocking phase, the secondary lever reaches its unlocking positionbefore the primary lever reaches its unlocking position.

It is therefore not possible for the user to remain trapped in hisvehicle.

According to another advantageous feature of the invention:

-   -   the link rod is articulated at a fixed point of the primary        lever,    -   the link rod is articulated on the secondary lever by means of        an axial peg which is borne by the link rod and which interacts        with an edge of a slot made in the secondary lever,        so that the link rod links the angular displacement of the two        levers only during the global unlocking phase.

By virtue of this feature, when the secondary lever occupies itsunlocking position, the primary lever is free to pivot between itsangular unlocking position and its angular locking position, withoutdriving the secondary lever.

Moreover, as the connection between the two levers is rigid, in thedirection of their unlocking, when one of the levers comes up againstits stop, that prevents the other lever from pivoting.

The manufacturing tolerances and the spread in the assembly of thevarious elements of the lock do not always make it possible to ensurethat, when one of the levers is against its stop, and thereforeunlocked, the other lever is itself also unlocked.

The invention proposes solving this problem by providing a lock which ischaracterized in that the edge of the slot is a cam which is configuredso that, during the global unlocking phase, the radial distance betweenthe peg and the secondary pin increases, with the aim of allowing theprimary lever to continue its pivoting motion as far as its unlockingposition, after the secondary lever has reached its unlocking position.

According to other features of the invention:

-   -   the cam comprises a final portion relative to the global        unlocking phase, which describes a defined angle with respect to        the direction of displacement of the link rod, depending on the        angular position of the secondary lever during the global        unlocking phase, and in that said angle is:    -   greater than or equal to ninety degrees, at the start of the        global unlocking phase, when the secondary lever occupies its        locking position,    -   less than ninety degrees, during the final step of the global        unlocking phase, when the secondary lever wholly occupies its        unlocking position and the primary lever does not yet occupy its        locking position, so that, during the final step of the global        unlocking phase, the peg is displaced wholly radially outward        with respect to the secondary pin, remaining in circumferential        contact with the final portion of the cam, in the direction of        unlocking of the secondary lever;    -   the final portion of the cam is substantially rectilinear and        parallel to a radial direction of the secondary pin, so that,        during the final step of the global unlocking phase, the peg is        displaced in said radial direction with respect to the secondary        pin;    -   the cam wholly forms a V, and in that, when the two levers        occupy their respective locking positions, the peg bears in the        angle of the V formed by the cam;    -   when the two levers occupy their respective unlocking positions,        the peg is housed in the slot with a radial clearance, on the        side directed away from the secondary pin;    -   each lever comprises two opposed circumferential stops which        wholly determine the associated angular locking and unlocking        positions;    -   the lock comprises means designed to make the secondary lever        bistable.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent onreading the detailed description which follows, a clearer understandingof which will be gained by referring to the attached figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram which represents a lock produced according to afirst embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view which schematically represents the main elementsof the device for locking the lock of FIG. 1, when the primary lever andthe secondary lever are unlocked;

FIG. 3 is a side view which schematically represents the secondary leverand the link rod of the lock of FIG. 2 in the unlocking position, whenthe primary lever is in the unlocking position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 which represents thesecondary lever in the unlocking position, when the primary lever is inthe locking position;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 which represents thesecondary lever in the locking position;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 which represents thesecondary lever in a first intermediate position during a globalunlocking phase;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 which represents thesecondary lever in a second intermediate position during the globalunlocking phase;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 which represents thesecondary lever at the end of the global unlocking phase, in itsunlocking position;

FIGS. 9 to 12 are views similar to that of FIG. 3 which represent asecondary lever produced according to a second embodiment of theinvention when it occupies various angular positions respectivelycorresponding to the angular positions represented in FIGS. 3 to 8.

In the description which will follow, similar or identical elements willbear the same references.

FIG. 1 schematically represents a lock 10 which is, for example,intended to be fixed to a door (not shown) of a motor vehicle and whichis produced according to the teachings of the invention, according to afirst embodiment.

The lock 10 comprises, for example, a fixed frame (not shown) on whichare mounted the main elements constituting the locking mechanism of thelock 10.

The main elements of the locking mechanism are schematically illustratedin FIG. 1.

The lock 10 comprises operating means for opening from the outside, forexample in the form of an outer paddle handle 12, which are arranged inthe outer wall of the vehicle door.

The lock 10 comprises operating means for opening from the inside, forexample in the form of an inner paddle handle 14, which are arranged inthe inner wall of the vehicle door.

The lock 10 comprises means for inhibiting the outer paddle handle 12,so as to prevent the lock 10 from being opened from the outside of thevehicle. These means therefore implement the outside locking function ofthe vehicle.

The means for locking the outer paddle handle are represented here by aprimary lever 16.

According to the embodiment represented in FIG. 2, the primary lever 16is pivotally mounted on the frame, about a fixed primary pin 18, betweenan angular unlocking position, represented in a solid line, and anangular locking position, represented in a broken line. In its lockingposition, the primary lever 16 inhibits the outer paddle handle 12.

The angular unlocking position and the angular locking position arerespectively determined by stop means (not shown).

These stop means consist, for example, of an unlocking stud and of alocking stud which interact with a complementary bearing surface borneby the primary lever 16.

The primary lever 16 is able to be rotated about its pin 18 by anassociated primary electric actuator 20.

The lock 10 comprises means for inhibiting the inner paddle handle 14 soas to prevent the lock 10 from being opened from the inside of thevehicle. These means therefore implement the inside locking function ofthe vehicle.

The “superlocking” function, which will be referred to here as “globallocking”, is implemented by inhibiting both the inner paddle handle 14and the outer paddle handle 12.

The means for locking the inner paddle handle are represented here-by asecondary lever 22.

According to the embodiment represented in FIG. 2, the secondary lever22 is pivotally mounted on the frame, about a fixed secondary pin 24,which is substantially parallel to the primary pin 18, between anangular unlocking position, represented particularly in FIG. 2, and anangular locking position, represented particularly in FIG. 5. In itslocking position, the secondary lever 22 inhibits the inner paddlehandle 14.

The angular unlocking position and the angular locking position arerespectively determined by stop means (not shown).

These stop means consist, for example, of an unlocking stud and of alocking stud which interact with a complementary bearing surface borneby the secondary lever 22.

Advantageously, the lock 10 comprises means designed to make thesecondary lever 22 bistable, for example an elastic tongue which isproduced in one piece with the secondary lever 22 and which is designedto interact with a boss borne by the frame, with the aim of causing thesecondary lever 22 to be tilted toward its angular stop positions.

The secondary lever 22 is able to be rotated about its pin 24 by anassociated secondary electric actuator 26.

The electric actuators 20, 26 are operated for example by means of aremote control 28.

The lock 10 also comprises a mechanical driving member which isconnected to the primary lever 16 in order to cause it to pivotdirectly. This driving member here consists of a transfer lever 30 whichis operated by a cylinder 32.

The pivoting of the cylinder 32, which is produced for example by meansof a key (not shown), actuates the transfer lever 30 which mechanicallydrives the primary lever 16 about its primary pin 18.

According to the teachings of the invention, the lock 10 comprises alink rod 34 which is arranged between the primary lever 16 and thesecondary lever 22.

The link rod 34 is articulated at a fixed point 36 of the primary lever16, in this case by its first longitudinal end, which comprises a finger38 fitted into a housing 40 of the primary lever 16 and forming anarticulation about an axis parallel to the primary pin 18.

The link rod 34 comprises, at its second longitudinal end, an axial peg42 which is housed axially in a slot 44 made in the secondary lever 22.

In the remainder of the description, use will be made, by way ofnon-limiting illustration, of a left-to-right orientation in ahorizontal direction H′H substantially orthogonal to the pins 18, 24 ofthe levers 16, 22.

With the aim of making it easier to understand the way in which the lock10 operates, it will be considered here that the rotation of the primarylever 16 causes a substantially horizontal displacement of the link rod34 in the direction H′H.

With regard to the rotational movements, a clockwise direction andcounterclockwise direction will be defined arbitrarily withconsideration to FIG. 2.

The slot 44 extends wholly in a plane transverse to the secondary pin24, and it here has the form of an arc of a circle centered on thesecondary pin 24. The slot 44 here extends over an angular portionsituated above a horizontal axial plane, with consideration to FIG. 2,when the secondary lever 22 occupies its unlocking position.

The slot 44 comprises an upper edge 46 and a lower edge 48 in the formof arcs of a circle, and also a left-hand circumferential end edge 50and a right-hand circumferential end edge 52 of rounded shape, whichwill be referred to respectively as left-hand edge 50 and right-handedge 52.

The peg 42 is able to occupy two end positions, in the slot 44, whichare delimited by the two circumferential end edges 50, 52 of the slot44.

The link rod 34 makes it possible to link the angular displacement ofthe primary lever 16 and secondary lever 22 during an operating phasewhich will be referred to as “global unlocking phase”, which consists inpivoting the primary lever 16 and the secondary lever 22 from theirrespective locking positions toward their respective unlockingpositions.

Thus, it can be said that the transfer lever 30 is linked directly tothe primary lever 16, and it is linked indirectly to the secondary lever22 via the link rod 34.

The normal operation of the lock 10, that is to say in the absence offailure, is as follows.

The initial positions which will be selected arbitrarily for the primarylever 16 and the secondary lever 22 are their unlocking positions asrepresented in FIGS. 2 and 3.

When the primary lever 16 and secondary lever 22 occupy their unlockingpositions, the link rod 34 is shifted as far as possible toward theright, such that the axial peg 42 is situated in the vicinity of theright-hand edge 52 of the slot 44.

The user, who wishes to lock the outer paddle handle 12, electricallyoperates the primary electrical actuator 20, for example by means of theremote control 28, in order to cause the primary lever 16 to pivot fromits unlocking position toward its locking position, in this case in theclockwise direction.

During the pivoting of the primary lever 16 toward its locking position,the link rod 34 is displaced with the primary lever 16 toward the left,such that the axial peg 42 is also displaced toward the left, guided bythe slot 44 in the secondary lever 22 which remains fixed.

The axial peg 42 tends to be placed in that part of the slot 44 at theextreme left, since the articulation 36 of the link rod 34 is displacedwholly toward the left.

The axial peg 42 then occupies a left-hand end position, in the vicinityof the left-hand edge 50 of the slot 44, as represented in FIG. 4.

The primary lever 16 then bears against its locking stop and the outerpaddle handle 12 is inhibited.

In the situation of outside locking, the user can initiate globallocking by operating the secondary actuator 26 so that it causes thesecondary lever 22 to pivot, in this case in the counterclockwisedirection, as far as its locking position.

This pivoting of the secondary lever 22 creates a relative movement ofthe slot 44 with respect to the axial peg 42, such that the axial peg 42occupies a right-hand end position in the slot 44, in the vicinity ofthe right-hand edge 52, as represented in FIG. 5.

It will be noted that, when the secondary lever 22 is in the lockingposition, the primary lever 16 is unable to pivot as far as itsunlocking position, since the axial peg 42 bears substantially againstthe right-hand edge 52 of the slot 44, preventing the link rod 34 frombeing displaced toward the right.

Consequently, in order to be able to unlock the outer paddle handle 12by unlocking the primary lever 16, it is necessary to unlock, beforehandor simultaneously, the inner paddle handle 14 by unlocking the secondarylever 22.

To this end, when the user initiates global unlocking of the lock 10,the secondary actuator 26 is operated, so that it causes the secondarylever 22 to pivot in the clockwise direction, in order to unlock it, andthe primary actuator 20 is operated, simultaneously or after thesecondary actuator 26, so that it causes the primary lever 16 to pivotin the counterclockwise direction, in order to unlock it.

For the safety of the users of the vehicle, it is important to providefor the case of a failure of the electrical control means for theprimary lever 16 and secondary lever 22, in the global lockingsituation.

In this situation, the user acts on the cylinder 32 by means of a key soas to cause the transfer lever 30 to pivot.

While pivoting, the transfer lever 30 causes direct rotation of theprimary lever 16, in the counter-clockwise direction, from its lockingposition toward its unlocking position.

At the same time as the pivoting of the primary lever 16, the transferlever 30 causes indirect pivoting of the secondary lever 22, via thelink rod 34, in the clockwise direction, from its locking positiontoward its unlocking position. What happens is that, during the pivotingof the primary lever 16, the link rod 34 is displaced toward the rightand it presses against the right-hand edge 52 of the slot 44, whichcauses the secondary lever 22 to rotate about its secondary pin 24.

When only the control means for the secondary lever 22 experience anelectrical failure, then, during the global unlocking phase, the primaryactuator 20 drives the primary lever 16 directly and the secondary lever22 indirectly, via the link rod 34, in an operation similar to thatdescribed above.

Problems may arise with the lock 10 according to the first embodiment ofthe invention.

A first problem is the position occupied by the primary lever 16 andsecondary lever 22 with respect to their respective angular stops,depending on the various operating situations.

To obtain correct operation of the lock 10, it is necessary for theprimary lever 16 and secondary lever 22 to each have its own angularstops.

During global unlocking, the pivoting of the primary lever 16 is linkedto the pivoting of the secondary lever 22 via the link rod 34.Consequently, when one of the two levers 16, 22 reaches its unlockingstop, for example the primary lever 16, then the secondary lever 22 isno longer being caused to rotate.

It is important for the secondary lever 22 to occupy its unlockingposition when it is no longer being rotated. However, taking particularaccount of the manufacturing and assembly tolerances of the lock 10, itis not guaranteed that the secondary lever 22 has reached its unlockingposition when it is no longer being rotated.

The consequence of this malfunctioning is that the outer paddle handle12 may be released while the inner paddle handle 14 is still inhibited.A user may thus enter the vehicle by opening the door from the outside,but he will be unable to get out of it again.

It is thus required to guarantee that the two levers 16, 22 can pivot asfar as their angular stops, and it is required to ensure that thesecondary lever 22 is unlocked before the primary lever 16, so that theinner paddle handle 14 is released before the outer paddle handle 12.

Furthermore, if one of the levers 16, 22 occupies an intermediateposition between its angular stop positions, it may interfere with themovement of certain parts of the mechanisms of the lock 10, inparticular the parts which are set in motion during an operating phaseknown as “override”, which aims to bring about unlocking of the primarylever 16, in the situation of outside locking, when a user manipulatesthe inner paddle handle 14.

The lock 10 which is produced according to the second embodiment of theinvention solves these problems.

The lock 10 according to the secondary embodiment of the inventionsolves these problems simply by modifying the slot 44 made in thesecondary lever 22, without it being necessary to modify the other partsof the lock 10.

Consequently, FIGS. 9 to 14 represent only the secondary lever 22,according to the second embodiment of the invention, in various angularpositions, with regard to FIGS. 3 to 8 which represent the secondarylever 22 according to the first embodiment of the invention in thecorresponding angular positions.

A description will now be given of the second embodiment of theinvention, emphasizing the differences in structure and operation overthe lock 10 according to the first embodiment of the invention.

The form of the slot 44 when the secondary lever 22 occupies itsunlocking position, which is represented particularly in FIG. 9, will bedescribed.

According to the teachings of the invention, the leverage of the pointof articulation of the link rod 34 on the secondary lever 22, that is tosay the distance between the axial peg 42 and the secondary pin 24, isselected so that the secondary lever 22 reaches its unlocking positionbefore the primary lever 16 reaches its own unlocking position.

Furthermore, the edge 54 of the slot 44 on which the axial peg 42 bearsduring the global unlocking phase is a cam which is configured so thatthe radial distance R between the peg 42 and the secondary pin 24increases, with the aim of allowing the primary lever 16 to continue itspivoting motion as far as its unlocking position, after the secondarylever 22 has reached its unlocking position.

The slot 44 here has the shape of a “V” and it extends over an angularportion situated above a horizontal axial plane, with consideration toFIG. 9.

The “V” shape of the slot 44 is delimited mainly by the cam 54.

The angle of the V formed by the cam 54 is acute here, and the notch 56formed by the intersection of the two branches of the V whollycorresponds to that portion of the slot 44 which is closest to thesecondary pin 24.

The notch 56 is here offset toward the right and upwardly with respectto the secondary pin 24.

The cam 54 comprises a left-hand portion 58 which extends from the notch56 toward the left, here describing an angle of about forty-five degreeswith respect to the horizontal direction H′H.

The cam 54 comprises a right-hand portion 60 which extends from thenotch 56 toward the right, here describing an angle of about sixtydegrees with respect to the horizontal direction H′H.

The right-hand portion 60 here extends in a direction parallel to aradial direction of the secondary pin 24.

The right-hand portion 60 here is substantially shorter than theleft-hand portion 58.

The upper edge 62 of the slot 44 wholly forms a boss which is downwardlyconvex.

The slot 44 thus comprises three ends which correspond to three notablepoints of the cam 54, that is to say the left-hand end 64 of theleft-hand portion 58, the notch 56, and the right-hand end 66 of theright-hand portion 60.

The normal operation of the lock 10 according to the second embodiment,in the absence of electrical failure, is wholly the same as that of thelock 10 according to the first embodiment.

When the primary lever 16 and the secondary lever 22 occupy theirrespective unlocking positions, as has been represented in FIG. 9, theaxial peg 42 occupies, in the slot 44, a first position P1 in thevicinity of the right-hand end 66 of the right-hand portion 60.

When the primary lever 16 is made to pivot toward its locking position,the link rod 34 is wholly displaced toward the left, such that the axialpeg 42 occupies a second position P2 in the vicinity of the left-handend 64 of the left-hand portion 58, as represented in FIG. 10.

While being displaced toward the left, the axial peg 42 is guided towardits second position P2 by the upper edge 62 of the slot 44 and by thecam 54.

When the secondary lever 22 is made to pivot toward its lockingposition, in the counterclockwise direction, the slot 44 pivots withrespect to the axial peg 42 such that the latter occupies a thirdposition P3, bearing in the notch 56, as represented in FIG. 11.

During the pivoting of the slot 44 about the secondary pin 24, the axialpeg 42 is guided by the left-hand portion 58 of the cam 54 toward thenotch 56.

FIGS. 12 to 14 illustrate the various angular positions occupied by thesecondary lever 22, depending on the position of the link rod 34 and ofthe axial peg 42 in the slot 44, during the global unlocking phaseimplemented following an electrical failure.

During a first operating step, which is delimited by the angularpositions represented in FIGS. 11 and 12, the link rod 34 is displacedtoward the right, since the primary lever 16 is pivoted toward itsunlocking position, for example by means of the cylinder 32.

During this first step, the displacement of the link rod 34 and of theassociated axial peg 42, which bears in the notch 56, causes thesecondary lever 22 to pivot in the clockwise direction until theright-hand portion 60 of the cam 54 is substantially vertical, asrepresented in FIG. 12.

It will be noted that, when the axial peg 42 occupies its third positionP3, in the notch 56, the radial distance R3 which separates it from thesecondary pin 24 is less than the radial distance R1 which separates itfrom the secondary pin 24 when it occupies its first position P1 or itssecond position P2 in the slot 44.

Comparing FIGS. 5 and 6, which represent the secondary lever 22according to the first embodiment, with FIGS. 11 and 12, which representthe secondary lever 22 according to the second embodiment, at the samestages of the movement of the link rod 34, it will be noted that theradial distance R3 which separates the axial peg 42 from the secondarypin 24 is shorter for the secondary lever 22 according to the secondembodiment, with the result that the crank throw is smaller, which leadsto a greater rotational speed of the secondary lever 22 for an identicaldisplacement of the link rod 34.

Owing to the small radial distance R3 between the axial peg 42 and thesecondary pin 24 in the second embodiment, for the same displacement ofthe link rod 34 toward the right, that is to say for the same angulardisplacement of the primary lever 16, the angular displacement of thesecondary lever 22 according to the second embodiment is greater thanthe angular displacement of the secondary lever 22 according to thefirst embodiment.

Specifically, it will be noted in FIGS. 6 and 12 that the link rod 34has covered substantially the same distance toward the right in bothcases, but the pivoting angle α of the secondary lever 22 according tothe second embodiment (FIG. 12), with respect to its locking position,is greater than the corresponding pivoting angle α′ of the secondarylever 22 according to the first embodiment (FIG. 6).

In FIG. 13, the secondary lever 22 practically occupies its unlockingposition, and it is considered that it has already caused the innerpaddle handle 14 to be released.

In this position, the right-hand portion 60 of the cam 54 is inclinedtoward the right with respect to the vertical direction V′V which passesthrough the secondary pin 24. This inclination makes it possible for theaxial peg 42 to slide along the right-hand portion 60 of the cam 54during a second step, or final step, being displaced toward the rightwith the link rod 34 and being displaced radially outward whileremaining in contact with the cam 54 so as to keep the secondary lever22 in its unlocking position.

In this way the link rod 34 can continue its displacement toward theright, the peg 42 being displaced upward and toward the right in theslot 44 until the primary lever 16 reaches its unlocking position. Thefinal position of the axial peg 42 thus corresponds to the firstposition P1, in the vicinity of the righthand end 66 of the right-handportion 60, as represented in FIG. 14.

The angle β formed by the right-hand portion 60 of the cam 54 with thesubstantially horizontal direction H′H of displacement of the link rod34, according to the angular position of the secondary lever 22, isdecisive for ensuring that the secondary lever 22 is caused to rotate bythe link rod 34.

Specifically, as soon as the angle β is greater than ninety degrees, theaxial peg 42 is retained radially in the notch 56, and any displacementof the link rod 34 toward the right is converted into an angulardisplacement of the secondary lever 22 in the clockwise direction.

The secondary lever 22 thus passes as far as the angular position whichis represented in FIG. 12, in which the angle β is substantially equalto ninety degrees.

From this angular position, the axial peg 42 is no longer retainedradially in the notch 56, with the result that it is able to bedisplaced radially outward.

On account of the frictional forces of the axial peg 42 against the cam54, which tend to retain the peg 42 in its initial position, in thenotch 56, the outward radial displacement of the peg 42 occurs only froma defined angle β′, which is less than ninety degrees. To obtain such anangle β′, the slope of the right-hand portion 60 of the cam 54 isinclined toward the right and upward, as represented in FIG. 13.

The cam 54 is configured so that, when the right-hand portion 60describes its angle β′ with the direction H′H of the displacement of thelink rod 34, that is to say at the end of the first step, the secondarylever 22 wholly occupies its unlocking position, as represented in FIG.13.

It will thus be noted that, during the pivoting of the secondary lever22 toward its unlocking position, the radial distance between the axialpeg 42 and the secondary pin 24 increases. The corresponding radialdisplacement of the axial peg 42 is possible by virtue of the slope ofthe right-hand portion 60 of the cam 54, which is inclined upwardly andtoward the right, that is to say wholly in the direction of thedisplacement of the link rod 34.

The lock 10 according to the second embodiment of the invention thusmakes it possible to accelerate the angular pivoting of the secondarylever 22 with respect to the angular pivoting of the primary lever 16during the first step, which guarantees the unlocking of the secondarylever 22 before that of the primary lever 16. This “acceleration” isachieved without modifying the value of the angular travel of thesecondary lever 22 between its two stops.

Advantageously, the acceleration of the angular pivoting of thesecondary lever 22 with respect to the angular pivoting of the primarylever 16 is obtained here by selecting the position of the points 36, 42of articulation of the link rod 34 on the primary lever 16 and secondarylever 22. More precisely, insofar as the link rod 34 here is displacedsubstantially longitudinally in the direction H′H, a radial distance Rbetween the peg 42 and the secondary pin 24 is selected which is shorterthan the radial distance between the fixed articulation point 36 and theprimary pin 18, so that the crank arm is shorter on the secondary lever22 than on the primary lever 16, which allows the secondary lever 22 toreach its unlocking position before the primary lever 16.

When the secondary lever 22 bears against its unlocking stop, it mustnot prevent the primary lever 16 from continuing its pivoting motion asfar as its own unlocking stop. That is why a radial clearance isprovided between the right-hand end 66 of the right-hand portion 60 ofthe cam 54 and the axial peg 42 when the primary lever 16 occupies itsunlocking position.

Similarly, a clearance is provided between the end 64 of the left-handportion 58 of the cam 54 and the axial peg 42 when the primary lever 16occupies its locking position, the secondary lever 22 occupying itsunlocking position (FIG. 10).

The lock 10 according to the second embodiment of the invention makes itpossible to guarantee that the primary lever 16 and the secondary lever22 bear against their respective angular stops when they occupy theirrespective locking or unlocking positions.

It will be noted that the boss 62 in the slot 44 assists in preventingthe peg 42 from retreating axially from the slot 44, in particularduring the pivoting of the primary lever 16 toward its locking position,the peg 42 being displaced toward the left from its first position P1toward its second position P2.

1. A lock (10) for an opening leaf of a motor vehicle, of the typecomprising: operating means (12) for opening from the outside andoperating means (14) for opening from the inside, a primary lever (16)which is mounted so that it can pivot about a fixed primary pin (18),between an angular unlocking position and an angular locking position,in order to inhibit the means (12) for operating from the outside, asecondary lever (22) which is mounted so that it can pivot about a fixedsecondary pin (24), substantially parallel to the primary pin (18),between an angular unlocking position and an angular locking position,in order to inhibit the means (14) for operating from the inside, adriving member (30) which is connected to the primary lever (16) inorder to directly pivot the primary lever (16), from its lockingposition toward its unlocking position, during an operating phasereferred to as outside unlocking phase, characterized in that aconnection means (34) is arranged between the primary lever (16) and thesecondary lever (22) so as to link the angular displacement of the twolevers (16, 22) during an outside unlocking phase, with the aim ofbringing about global unlocking of the lock (10) consisting in pivotingthe two levers (16, 22) from their respective locking positions towardtheir respective unlocking positions.
 2. The lock (10) as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that the connection means is a link rod (34)which comprises a point (36) of articulation on the primary lever (16)and a point (42) of articulation on the secondary lever (22).
 3. Thelock (10) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the position ofthe articulation points (36, 42) of the link rod (34) is selected sothat, during the global unlocking phase, the secondary lever (22)reaches its unlocking position before the primary lever (16) reaches itsunlocking position.
 4. The lock (10) as claimed in claim 3,characterized in that: the link rod (34) is articulated at a fixed point(36) of the primary lever (16), the link rod (34) is articulated on thesecondary lever (22) by means of an axial peg (42) which is borne by thelink rod (34) and which interacts with an edge (54) of a slot (44) madein the secondary lever (22), so that the link rod (34) links the angulardisplacement of the two levers (16, 22) only during the global unlockingphase.
 5. The lock (10) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that theedge (54) of the slot (44) is a cam which is configured so that, duringthe global unlocking phase, the radial distance (R) between the peg (42)and the secondary pin (24) increases, with the aim of allowing theprimary lever (16) to continue its pivoting motion as far as itsunlocking position, after the secondary lever (22) has reached itsunlocking position.
 6. The lock (10) as claimed in claim 5,characterized in that the cam (54) comprises a final portion (60)relative to the global unlocking phase, which describes a defined angle(β,β′) with respect to the direction (H′H) of displacement of the linkrod (34), depending on the angular position of the secondary lever (22)during the global unlocking phase, and in that said angle (β,β′) is:greater than or equal to ninety degrees, at the start of the globalunlocking phase, when the secondary lever (22) occupies its lockingposition, less than ninety degrees, during the final step of the globalunlocking phase, when the secondary lever (22) wholly occupies itsunlocking position and the primary lever (16) does not yet occupy itslocking position, so that, during the final step of the global unlockingphase, the peg (42) is displaced wholly radially outward with respect tothe secondary pin (24), remaining in circumferential contact with thefinal portion (60) of the cam (54), in the direction of unlocking of thesecondary lever (22).
 7. The lock (10) as claimed in claim 6,characterized in that the final portion (60) of the cam (54) issubstantially rectilinear and parallel to a radial direction of thesecondary pin (24), so that, during the final step of the globalunlocking phase, the peg (42) is displaced in said radial direction withrespect to the secondary pin (24).
 8. The lock (10) as claimed in claim5, characterized in that the cam (54) wholly forms a V, and in that,when the two levers (16, 22) occupy their respective locking positions,the peg (42) bears in the angle of the V (56) formed by the cam (54). 9.The lock (10) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that, when the twolevers (16, 22) occupy their respective unlocking positions, the peg(42) is housed in the slot (44) with a radial clearance, on the sidedirected away from the secondary pin (24).
 10. The lock (10) as claimedin claim 8, characterized in that each lever (16, 22) comprises twoopposed circumferential stops which wholly determine the associatedangular locking and unlocking positions.
 11. The lock (10) as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that said lock comprises means designed tomake the secondary lever bistable.